a/n: I KNOW I SAID I WOULDN'T UPDATE BECAUSE OF IM NAYEON AND THE EIGHT KIDS BUT HH I DIDN'T REALIZE NAYEON'S BDAY CHAPTER WOULD BE LIKE OVER 15K WORDS, but like this chapter was finished about a month ago? so enjoy :)

Mina was mad at her friends for not telling her about the secrets of Chaeyoung and Dahyun. She’s specifically mad at Momo since they always tell each other everything. Luckily, Mina was able to relate with Nayeon since the med student also didn’t know anything about this. They stayed awake all night in their room and talked about everything, making sure to be clear of what was going on. 

All Mina really knew was that they used to date, Momo once said that Dahyun was a player but that was after she used to have a girlfriend until something happened and that resulted in them breaking up horribly. She was able to put the two together and recognized the possibility that the “girlfriend” was Chaeyoung. 

Now, Mina was on par with the whole guest-house drama. Tzuyu was mad at Dahyun because she apparently “forced” herself on Sana and it made somewhat sense because Sana was acting weird since the other day when Momo told her she came home really late at night. There was also this rumour circulating around the university’s website that one of the students made where you could publish posts about clubs or interests in activities but the Seoul students use it to gossip about everything and they were talking about how Dahyun was on leave from the basketball team, which made Mina even more confused because she knew the latter’s life depended on basketball. Meanwhile, Jihyo refused to come out of her room. Her father had tried breaking in but hearing the girl’s croaky voice made him soft as he decided to give his daughter some space. He even noticed the change in mood from Chaeyoung and that’s when he started to get suspicious of everything. 

They all sat in their normal spots as they used to in the very beginning and of course Jihyo was not there, even after ten minutes of Chaeyoung trying to convince the girl but she never received an answer back. It was sort of expected for the young girl to receive that type of response, I mean how would you react if your girlfriend never told you that her ex-girlfriend was living in the same residence as her? 

JYP suddenly slammed the dinner table, startling everyone who snapped out of their dazes. “YAH, DID YOU ALL FIGHT AGAIN?” He knew this atmosphere was familiar and it was itching at him the whole morning since he woke up. JYP should’ve never left for that stupid reunion, all he did was get made fun of since he proudly stated to everyone that he was running a guest-house. Turns out it wasn’t as good as running a million dollar business. 

To hell with them. 

JYP silently scoffed as he stared directly at Nayeon who was sitting closest to him and he tried to force out an explanation but in all honesty, the med student didn’t really know how to explain things. She was still confused on some things and also wished the same thing as the man, wanting to know what the hell was going on in the residence. 

He pushed his chair back and stood up with his fists clenching. “You are all adults and I’m getting tired of all of you not getting along!? I honestly don’t get it, I can see the potential that you can all be good friends if it weren’t for whatever is causing you to fight!? So get a drink with each other or I don’t know, paint your nails together— Whatever girls do these days, just fix it!” He frustratedly yelled out before leaving the room and the sound of the front door opening and closing was heard. Momo suddenly didn’t have the appetite to eat the feast that the man made for particularly Tzuyu (and Jeongyeon and Nayeon’s but mostly the Taiwanese). 

“I’m sure Dahyun already has the “get a drink with each other” patted down.” Chaeyoung murmured in a cold voice as she scraped her bowl of rice clean with her spoon and the mentioned girl glared at her. 

“What the heck are you talking about?” 

Chaeyoung slammed her spoon and bowl down. “I’m talking about you drinking with Jihyo, were you planning on trying to ruin my love life?” 

“In my defense, she was the one to ask to get a drink. I was having a rough day, okay?” The basketball player explained like she had no choice, thinking back to when the lady on the streets got her bag stolen and Chaeyoung scoffs at her in total disbelief. Everyone else watches them, all of them getting the feeling that maybe they shouldn’t be witnessing this right now but Jeongyeon had this question wanting to spew out at any moment. 

“But why did you lie for Chaeyoung if you both broke up?” Jeongyeon suddenly blurted out, wanting to know more about the slapping incident and instantly covered after realizing her mistake. She only meant to think that question in her head. 

Everyone’s eyes went on the basketball player and Dahyun grips her chopsticks she was holding as she took a deep breath. 

“Why don’t you just mind your own business and stop acting as if you care about this, you were doing a good job in the beginning.” She coldly spat out to Jeongyeon who frowned at the response before leaving the room to head to the playground and shoot some hoops to relieve some stress and Tzuyu longly sighed out, feeling that everything in the Park Residence was going totally wrong. 

Her and Sana haven’t talked since last night but they still got the signal that they wanted to be around each othering by cuddling ‘till they fell asleep but Tzuyu couldn’t help but feel guilty about slapping Dahyun. Maybe she did take it too far. 

She stared straight across of her and saw Sana only with her eyes on the food that she was playing with. This made Tzuyu frown again and she couldn’t help to think that the reason why the latter was acting like this was because of her.

Momo and Mina didn’t talk as well and Jeongyeon occasionally glanced at Nayeon who sat beside her, both of them sharing incoherent whispers to each other. 

Chaeyoung felt anxious as she thought the whispers were getting louder and grunted out loud, feeling her insanity snap. “I’m going to get her out of that room.” She firmly says and that makes Sana immediately stand up from her seat to stop her. 

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Chaeyoung…” The Japanese admitted, this was the first sentence she's said this whole morning and everyone mirrored the same thoughts as her. They knew Jihyo felt betrayed and indifferent about everything. 

Chaeyoung waved the latter’s hand off her wrist. “Then, I’ll stand in that room and explain everything to her.” This was it, she was going to confess everything. From her past to right now, Chaeyoung was finally going to let Jihyo know all of her struggles and fears she had to conquer. 

Sana knew exactly what the latter was referring and slowly raised a brow at her, an unsure look was on her face. “Are you sure?” Only Mina, Momo and Sana knew what Chaeyoung was talking about and the young girl nods as she left to go to Jihyo’s room. 

Tzuyu was now in more confusion on what they were talking about as she kept thinking that maybe Sana has kept secrets for the sake of others. 

“Sunbae…” Chaeyoung knocked on the door but earned no response and she sighed out. “If you don’t answer the door, then I’ll go jump off the balcony.” 

“Then go do that.” She heard the muffled voice and Chaeyoung took a sharp hiss. 

Maybe that was the wrong approach. 

“Please… Jihyo…” She begged again, hoping that saying her actual name would work and she could hear the door unlocking but no one opens it so that meant Chaeyoung must be the one to open it. 

She slowly opened the door and saw the room was completely dark even though it was nine in the morning and the sun was brighter than ever but Jihyo managed to block out all of the light in the room and that made Chaeyoung feel only guiltier as she approached her girlfriend that sat on the bed, she tightly hugged her pillow like it was the only thing that could hug at the moment and her eyes were all puffy, those eyes that Chaeyoung had always loved since the first sight that she even wrote a whole song about them. 

“Why?” Jihyo croaked out and Chaeyoung felt the strings of her heart tug so painfully that it hurts. 

Chaeyoung took a stool from Jihyo’s makeup table and placed it so she could sit while facing the girl at a good distance since she knew that they would never go back to the way they were after last night. 

“I really was going to tell you…” 

“When!? After our five month anniversary? After we say our wedding vows? After we have a family with each other?” She paused and took a deep breath, telling herself to not cry. Chaeyoung closed her eyes as she felt Jihyo made her point. “Were you ever going to tell me, Chaeyoung?” She asked in a faint whisper and the latter felt her head tilt up, her eyes completely shut and she frowned. 

“I-I don’t know… I’m a h-horrible person… I kept too much from y-you…” She stuttered, feeling like she was going to break down at any point and was expecting for Jihyo to stand by her side and comfort her with a hug but that never happened. Jihyo remained sitting criss-cross on her bed and blankly stared at her, no pity was shown. After Chaeyoung calmed herself down, she neatly folded her hands together on her lap and stared straight in the latter’s eyes. 

“That is why… I want to tell you everything, I don’t want any more secrets between us Jihyo. You were the first person that showed me love and sincerity ever since…” 

“Dahyun.” Jihyo finishes her sentence and Chaeyoung nods with a sad smile forming on her face, she always thought the older girl was so smart. 

Not as smart as Dahyun used to be in high school. 

Chaeyoung frowned at the sudden thought that appeared in her head. “It all started in high school, I was in my first year and that was when I met Dahyun at a school party.” This seemed to take Jihyo by surprise and Chaeyoung chuckled out. “I know what you’re thinking, why did a girl like me go to a party in my first year?” 

“Hi!” Dahyun excitedly yelled out over the loud party music, hoping that the latter would hear and she brightly smiled when she saw Chaeyoung trying to lean in closer with her ear to hear her properly and balanced her two red cups of alcohol in both her hands. 

“Hi.” Chaeyoung replied in a calm voice and that was enough to make Dahyun go crazy as she suddenly felt nervous. She couldn’t believe that she was actually talking to her crush that probably didn’t know her name. 

“I’m uh— Dahyun!” She brings her hand out for the latter to shake and Chaeyoung chuckled at the cute action. 

“Chaeyoung.” She simply answered and that made Dahyun raise a brow.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” The older girl teased and Chaeyoung started to laugh, almost spilling her drinks on the ground. 

Chaeyoung shook her head in response, grateful that this stranger has noticed her shy antics. “Not really, I don’t even know why I’m here.” Dahyun nudged her arm and playfully demanded to get an answer from the girl. 

“Oh c’mon, I know there has to be a reason.” She teased again and saw the red tint forming on the latter’s face. 

“Well, my friend kinda forced me to come.” Chaeyoung shyly admits and Dahyun raised her hands as she showed a familiar look. 

“Me too!” She blurts out, almost too loud and grabbed the attention of others who were interacting around them. Dahyun awkwardly smiled at them before directing her attention towards Chaeyoung who was laughing at her kooky behaviour. “Hey, don’t laugh at me like that! It makes me shy!” Dahyun blatantly lied when in reality, she wanted to hear more of that heavenly laughter. 

Chaeyoung thought her and Dahyun were really hitting off. She thought when the girl first approached her the huge crowd of sweaty bodies, she assumed the latter was drunk but after their conversation, they decided to go upstairs and ended up finding an empty balcony where they could properly hear each other’s voice. 

Dahyun groaned out as her ears felt relieved from the music. “Finally, some fresh air.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and Chaeyoung nods in agreement as they both leaned against the railing, looking over where others were in the backyard, surrounding the empty pool that was for sure going to have someone either falling or being pushed in. “So who’s this friend and should I be concerned about them?” Dahyun’s confidence was really radiating today. 

Chaeyoung laughed again and thought the latter really liked to make her laugh. “Her name is Yeri, she goes to a different school than most of the people here.” This made Dahyun quirk a brow at her. 

“How are you so sure that I don’t go to a different school?” 

“Well, I’ve seen you around actually, near the art studio. You’re also on the junior basketball team, you’re really good.” Chaeyoung admits in a monotone voice and kept her eyes on the people that were below her, playing a drinking game. 

Dahyun stared at her in awe, now she was really freaking out that the girl of her dreams had actually noticed her before. 

There was now an awkward silence, Dahyun’s true-self of her being really awkward and embarrassing was now coming to the picture and Chaeyoung’s true-self of her being really quiet was right behind it. 

“Do you want to go out with me?” Dahyun suddenly blurted out and the latter’s mouth gaped at the question. “I m-meant y-you don’t have to agree! That was a stupid question after all, I mean we just met and— “ 

“Yes.” 

Dahyun froze in her spot and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights as Chaeyoung repeated her answer to make sure that Dahyun knew she was a hundred percent okay with going on a date with her.

“That’s how we met… It's sort of cheesy, huh?” Chaeyoung tried to lay out a joke to ease the tense atmosphere but the glare Jihyo was giving her definitely meant she was not liking the joke. Jihyo was already breaking down from the moment the younger girl started to talk about Dahyun, she could tell her eyes slightly lit up as the latter reminisced about her great memories with her ex. 

“It’s disgusting.” Jihyo bluntly states out, not sure if whether that was the truth or if she was saying that to distract herself to show her true side to Chaeyoung and the girl in front of her had to look down to hide the embarrassed expression that formed on her face, she fidgets with her sweaty hands. She didn’t notice that sweat was already forming, a sign of herself getting nervous. Why was she getting nervous? It’s not like she cheated in the first place… Right? 

Chaeyoung continued her story about her past with the famous basketball player. “At that time, I was a freshman and Dahyun was a sophomore. After we starting going on little dates, she started to become popular because her basketball skills were starting to be widely known at our school and in our school, there was this fixed social system.” A sad look formed on the girl’s face and that made Jihyo frown as well. “You know the whole stereotype if you’re popular, you have to go to the parties, you have to do as you’re expected by your “friends” and Dahyun did all of that because she wanted to stay on the team. The rules were never directly stated to her but she had this gut-feeling her position as point-guard was threatened by her other teammates.” She took a deep breath and stared at Jihyo to make sure she was understanding everything. 

“Seulgi?” The older girl assumed the best friend was always the source of problem in these type of situations and earned a slow nod from Chaeyoung. 

“Not only did Dahyun’s popularity grow, Seulgi’s also did as well. She was always known to be on the fun side, always taking risks and going to parties allowed for her to do whatever she wanted so that the next morning she can just throw up the toxic alcohol in her system and just pretend that last night never happened.” 

“…So what does Seulgi have to do with you and Dahyun?” Jihyo asked with full hesitance evident in her voice, she felt like she was touching on a really personal issue that she didn’t deserve to know but Chaeyoung thought the opposite, she wanted Jihyo to hear all of this. 

Chaeyoung takes another deep breath, her chest heaved up to the sky and her shoulders slumped down after she exhaled, directing her attention towards the floor and the box of shoes that were slightly under Jihyo’s bed. “I never really liked the parties but Dahyun always insisted that I go to them, she said that she didn’t want me to feel concerned that she would do something wrong…” 

“She lied.” Jihyo interrupted the latter with a blunt voice, mentally telling herself to knock off her bluntness just for ten minutes. She didn’t want to have an effect on the sadness that Chaeyoung was showing on her face and body language but it seemed that the truth always hurt. 

Chaeyoung slightly shrugged her shoulders, a look of confusion was on her face. “I guess?” She then sighed out. “Look Jihyo, there’s something else I’ve been hiding too and it will make sense when I start explaining more.” Jihyo frowned her brows at her, feeling betrayed again as Chaeyoung continued to talk about her past. 

“You’re going to get a bachelor’s degree and pursue accounting, and that’s final!” Her father screamed in her face as she stood in a stiff posture, feeling tense from how close her father was to her. Chaeyoung was only in grade eleven, she was starting to think about her future and she finally announced that she wants to become a musician. “We’ve let you do enough of that art in high school and it clearly distracts you!” 

“You’re always going to those parties and doing God knows what.” Her mother added to his point, not even bothering to look at her as she scrolled through her phone. 

Chaeyoung felt hot tears rolling down her face. “B-But I-I want— “

“Want what? To be homeless? To not have a proper job or should I correct myself and say to not have a high paying job?” The man scoffed before placing his hands on his hips and smiling like everything was a joke. “You’re never going to survive out there, Chaeyoung. Especially if you wanted to be a musician.” He had to admit he was slightly concerned on how his daughter would react to being in the harsh world alone. 

He grabbed the girl’s shoulders and pushed her into her room. “You’re going to stay here and think about your clearly stupid decision of becoming a musician.” The man firmly instructed, sending a threatening glare and before he closed the door, he added another threat. “If I come back and find that you snuck out, you’re in big trouble Son Chaeyoung.” His brows furrowed and he slammed the door as hard as he could, allowing for Chaeyoung to lie on it to cry her heart out. 

What did Chaeyoung do to deserve all of this? 

Why does her brother get to do whatever he wants? 

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her phone ring and she sniffled when she answered the phone. 

“Babe! You won’t believe what happened, a guy from the University of Seoul was at our game and he recruited me to be on their team! You know what that means!?” Dahyun yelled out in pure excitement, the cheers in the background were deafening to the latter’s ears. 

“Not really…” Chaeyoung quietly lied, she knew exactly that Dahyun was going to attend her dream school where Chaeyoung herself was currently locked in her room, being forced to change her whole future. 

She wanted to cry in the phone and ask for Dahyun to sneak in her room so she could feel her touch but Chaeyoung knew she couldn’t ruin the mood with her worries, not especially when her girlfriend was at her happiest. 

“I’m going to the University of Seoul!” The basketball player exclaimed, feeling so many elated emotions right now. She could feel Seulgi patting her back to congratulate her and walked past with her sweaty towel wrapped around her neck. Dahyun was still not fully clothed but she couldn’t wait to tell her girlfriend the good news. “Isn’t that amazing!?” She yelled out again and Chaeyoung swallowed the lump in . 

“Yeah… Amazing…” She whispered in a shaky breath and that made Dahyun suddenly worried for her. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Dahyun spoke in a hushed voice, not wanting for her teammates who were in the change room to hear in case it was a serious matter. 

Chaeyoung nodded in her phone, only to realize that the latter couldn’t see her at all. “I’m fine.”